Monthly Archives: May 2023

Justin MartyrJustin was born of a pagan family at the beginning of the second century in Palestine. As a young man he explored many different philosophies before at the age of thirty embracing Christianity. He continued to wear the distinctive dress of a professional philosopher, and taught Christianity as a philosophy first at Ephesus, andContinue reading “Oremus for Thursday, June 1, 2023”

The VisitationThis feast commemorates the visit of the Blessed Virgin to her cousin Elizabeth, recorded in the Gospel according to Luke (1:39–56). Elizabeth, who was then carrying John the Baptist, greeted Mary with the words, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” Mary broke into the song of praiseContinue reading “Oremus for Wednesday, May 31, 2023”

Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/2p9c4fyw Look to your covenant, O Lord,and forget not the life of your poor ones for ever.Arise, O God, and defend your cause,and forget not the cries of those who seek you. Psalm 74 Almighty God,to whom all hearts are open,all desires, known,and from whom no secrets are hid:Cleanse the thoughts of our heartsbyContinue reading “Oremus for Tuesday, May 30, 2023”

Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/tfhwfsb8 Bless the Lord, O my soul,and never forget all his benefits. Psalm 103 Almighty God,to whom all hearts are open,all desires, known,and from whom no secrets are hid:Cleanse the thoughts of our heartsby the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,that we may perfectly love youand worthily magnify your holy name;through Christ our Lord. Amen. Music:Continue reading “Oremus for Monday, May 29, 2023”

The Day of Pentecost Antiphon 1 Ant. The Spirit of the Lord * has filled the whole world, alleluia; and that which contains all things, knows every language spoken by men, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.V. Let God arise; let his foes be scattered. *Let those who hate him flee from his presence.As smoke is driven away,Continue reading “Oremus for Sunday, May 28, 2023”

John CalvinJohn Calvin was the premier theologian and leader of the Reformed wing of the Protestant Reformation. He was born in France in 1509. His father wanted him to study law, whichhe did for a time, but Calvin’s own passions were theology, languages, rhetoric and the literary sciences. Around 1534, he underwent a major conversionContinue reading “Oremus for Saturday, May 27, 2023”

St Augustine of CanterburyAugustine was prior of the monastery of St Andrew in Rome. In 596, at the instigation of Pope Gregory the Great, he was dispatched as the leader of a group of forty monks to re-evangelise the English Church. Augustine appears not to have been a particularly confident person, and in Gaul heContinue reading “Oremus for Thursday, May 26, 2023”

The Venerable BedeBede was born in Northumbria around the year 670. When he was seven years old, his family gave him to the monastery of St Peter and St Paul at Wearmouth. He then moved to Jarrow, where he lived as a monk for the rest of his life. Although it seems he never travelledContinue reading “Oremus for Thursday, May 25, 2023”

William Lloyd GarrisonIn 1831, William Lloyd Garrison published the inaugural issue of his abolitionist newspaper The Liberator, writing: “I do not wish to think, or speak, or write, with moderation. … I am in earnest — I will not equivocate — I will not excuse — I will not retreat a single inch — AND IContinue reading “Oremus for Wednesday, May 24, 2023”

Nicolaus CopernicusBorn in 1473, Nicolaus Copernicus first studied law and medicine before serving as a cleric under the direction of his uncle, the Bishop of Warmia (in northeastern Poland). Copernicus first set forth his heliocentric theory of astronomy in a small work called the Commentariolus, which was not published until 1878. His argument that theContinue reading “Oremus for Tuesday, May 23, 2023”